PlayStation Store Update

It’s a good day to be a PlayStation gamer. Not only do we get to celebrate the release of Starhawk as well as the news that all future Starhawk map packs will be free (watch this space for when they’ll be dropping), we also see a ton of great content arriving on the PlayStation Store!

We start off today’s update with the PSN exclusive Datura. Playable with PlayStation Move or your DualShock 3 controller, this adventure will get you immersed into the game’s unique experimental narrative and original way of interaction. Experience the world not only visually but also exploration. In DATURA, the player will experience an incredibly unique scenario. As you play DATURA, you find yourself in a forest. As you explore this environment, you will be presented with different scenarios in which you have to make a choice, which will determine your end result. It’s an unforgettable journey brought to you by at Plastic (“Linger in Shadows”) and Santa Monica Studio. PlayStation Plus subscribers will also be able to pick this title up at a 20% discount ($7.99 PS Plus price). For more stories and news on Datura, click here.

While we get ready for the full release of PixelJunk 4am next week, you may want to take advantage of the amazing PixelJunk Anniversary sale! The astoundingly unique series that has helped define PSN games is now on sale for a limited time. Get many of the classics for as low as $1, and find more discounts on last year’s releases PixelJunk Shooter 2 and PixelJunk SideScroller. If you’re in the San Francisco and over 21, you’re also invited to check out the community event happening this Thursday. Click here for more details on the event.

Note: If you have downloaded the demo for PixelJunk Eden in the past, purchasing the game may only download the unlock key. Check your transaction list to redownload the demo so that the unlock key will allow you to play the full version.

New PS3 Full Games are also now available including blockbusters Saints Row The Third and Need for Speed The Run. The insane open-world adventure of Saints Row The Third is available with a PlayStation Plus discount as well; grab it at $47.99 while the discount is in effect.

There’s much more arriving this week, including new Add-Ons like Lost Episode 1 for Asura’s Wrath and the Colossal Mayhem Pack in Prototype 2! Make sure you check out all the details below and let us know your thoughts in the comments below and come back next week to see what’s new in the PlayStation Store, or join the discussion on the PlayStation Community forums in the Official PlayStation Store Update thread.

PSN Games

Datura Full Game ($9.99)
From Plastic Group, the creator of the innovative Linger in Shadows, Datura is a new form of interactive play inspired by film narrative and immersing players in an experience never seen before.
ESRB rated T
File size 879 MB

PS3 Full Games

Need for Speed The Run ($39.99)
It’s called The Run. Three-thousand miles of unforgiving asphalt from San Francisco to New York. No speed limits. No rules. No allies. Armed with just his guts and instinct, Jack battles a field of the most notorious drivers ever assembled.
ESRB rated T
File size 9.1 GB

Saints Row: The Third ($59.99)
Years after taking Stilwater for their own, the Third Street Saints have evolved from street gang to household brand name, with Saints sneakers, Saints energy drinks and Johnny Gat bobble head dolls all available at a store near you.
ESRB rated M
File size 7.2 GB

Game Demos (free)

Spec Ops: The Line
The demo begins with a Delta Force recon team, led by Captain Martin Walker, infiltrating Dubai six months after a cataclysmic sandstorm destroyed the city and left it buried in ruin. Chaos ensues as Delta is pulled into the middle of a civil war. Walker and his team must fight their way through the unpredictable war-torn city to find the man at the heart of its madness – Colonel John Konrad.
ESRB rated M
File size 1.4 GB

PS3 Add-ons

ASURA’S WRATH Lost Episode 1 ($1.99)
One of the world’s greatest warriors appears before Asura… His name is Ryu. He challenges Asura to a duel!
File size 166 MB

Scarygirl – Enemy Within ($1.99)
In this side-scrolling action game, you play as Scarygirl. Traverse magical worlds in a seamless mix of 2D and 3D platforming action. It’s a mesmerizing fairytale, but the creepy-cute tough-as-nails Scarygirl is no damsel in distress! Scarygirl’s search for the spirit she’s been following takes her to the Bad City. As the spirit doesn’t want to be captured and contained again, she’s going to have a fight on her hands.
File size 97 MB

UFC Undisputed 3 – Ultimate Fights: Knockout Pack ($4.99)
Relive some of the greatest knockouts in the history of the Octagon with this Ultimate Fights Pack!
File size 2.5 MB

Rock Band 3
Build your Rock Band library by purchasing these song game tracks. For song credits, visit www.RockBand.com.

“Bombtrack” – Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)

“Killing in the Name” – Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)

“Sleep Now in the Fire” – Rage Against the Machine ($1.99)

Artist pack ($5.49) – Build your Rock Band library by purchasing this song game album: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE PACK 01. This pack includes “Bombtrack,” “Killing in the Name,” and “Sleep Now in the Fire” by Rage Against the Machine.

PSP Themes (also available from PS3 Storefront)

*SIGH* Another update and STILL no additional PSP game support for the Vita despite Jeff Rubenstein saying on February 9th that more games would be added in the “coming weeks” he even put the sentence in bold. Yet we’re now into the third month without a real update to the Vita’s PSP game support even though there’s a bunch of games that ARE playable on the Vita but are being prevented from being so due to the evil of Content Manager. Some games could be copied over from the PS3 but no longer can. An easy example of that would be Y’s I&II Chronicles.

And really? $60 for Saints Row the Third, a game that came out six months ago? You can buy a physical copy for less than $50 (or even less than $40) and the PS+ discount is barely a discount at all considering you can buy the superior PC version for less if you have the PC for it and don’t mind the lack of trophies. I know there’s retailer issues and that THQ is teetering on the edge of going out of business but still, weak. One of the many reasons why I hope DD never, ever becomes the only source for closed platforms like the PS3. It’s great for indie and pseudo-indie developers not so much for the ones that would normally have a retail release.

just wanted to copy and paste this in the offchance sony does care to read comments. you echoed my sentiments to a tee!

“- Love the POTENTIAL my Vita has. but that’s all it has at this point.
I’m not even bitter about the lack of games. My problem, and the problem most of us have with the Vita is the complete lack of information we receive from Sony.
But I’m sure that this post- like all the others that ask and BEG for any sort of info about the Vita will be ignored as usual. “

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the hell out of my Vita but I would enjoy it a hell of a lot more if I know what more there was to look forward to and had more game options since the Vita library is still lacking in a number of areas being it’s only been our two and a half months and the game that sold me on it (Gravity Rush) wasn’t pushed back from launch to launch window and then to June. Then again, I’d enjoy it more too if the browser didn’t suck as well. =\

Oh and yes, the absolute WORST part is Sony’s ****ing silence on everything. E3 better be a grand slam for the Vita because if it isn’t the platform is gonna be in bigger trouble than the 3DS was last year before the desperate price drop.

Everyone complains because Sony said they were going to do something a long time ago and they have yet to do fulfill their promise.

On top of that, they refuse to let us, their loyal dogs, at least know what is going on. So it’s not so much of an issue that they’re working on it and everyone is impatient, it’s that they are keeping silent and that isn’t nice.

Jeff and all the people here at the PS blog may not have a say in what goes on the store but they are OUR link to Sony. They need to keep their superiors on their toes and let them realize what we customers and fans want. We want we were promised. We want to be updated. We just some respect.

Aside from all my ranting opinions on vita, I love Sony when they listen to us and own up to their promises on features. Anyways this isn’t my main psn. If anyone wants to add me my main is SLICK _ T For some reason I can never post comments on it. So I have to make others to get a comment through. You would think it being a plus account since the stone age would let me comment. Anyways send a invite if ya want. I still love my ps3 and own lots of sony products and I’m a nice guy, just not nice when I’m mad over tech stuff lol.

@107, we complain because it feels like we don’t have another outlet to hear from someone at Sony about what’s going on. Of course, we don’t really hear anything here.

I read something like the first sentence in this store update post that says, “It’s a good day to be a Playstation gamer.” and I get angry. Why? Because there’s an 800 pound elephant in the room that Grace Chen and the others in charge can’t seem to see. I’m a Playstation gamer. I play Vita all the time. Is it a good day to be me? No. It might be a good day to be a Playstation 3 gamer, but this ignoring of a brand new platform is what is really frustrating. When you announce three AAA titles for the PS3 over the span of a couple of months and nothing of the sort for your new platform that needs high profile games more than anyone, it’s a poor decision. When Sony puts a developer like Nihilstic, who has NEVER had a decent track record, in charge of Resistance on Vita (one of the Sony’s most well known modern IPs), it’s a poor decision. Especially for us, the Playstation Vita gamers, who are not, in fact, having a good day.

Resistance is the only thing coming out this month :/… Sonys gotta start releasing more software for the psvita
I’m happy with my Vita but… I haven’t touched my vita in awhile because there aren’t many games…

I realized I play my 3ds and my iPad more :/…

The only games I’m looking forward to are final fantasy x hd, and metal gear solid hd (which I already own for the ps3) and metal gear solid 3d( 3ds)… But metal gear is awesome lol

This goes against all the other positive comments I made last week but I got to get this off my chest. I am extremely disappointed that you didn’t offer Max Payne 2 today in follow-up to Max Payne 1 last week. I thought it was going to work out so I could play through all the games again before I hit up Max Payne 3. Now there will be a void when I purchase Max Payne 3 because I now have to skip over Max Payne 2. It’s been years since I’ve played these games and I don’t remember the story from Max Payne 2 in it’s entirety. Are you guys even aware of what you just did? You basically said, “ok, here you go, here is the 1st game but you don’t get the second game, now enjoy the third.” I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but this is just low Sony. I think this especially unfair to those who haven’t even ever played them and wanted to do so.

I appreciate everything I’ve done so far…. But I want to feel like this system was worth it… I loved my psp, and I like the Vita. But it’ll be awhile till I enjoy the full experience… I regret buying the first edition bundle at launch…. Waste of $470 -_-

Ima be distracted with minecraft on the 360 anyways lol… And pc and Xperia play ^_^

Same crap every week from a bunch of self-entitled whiners who think that if they shell out money for a system typically sold at a loss by the vendor, they’re entitled to the world.

Don’t like something you bought, sell if off and have it find a good home. This complaining crap is mega-old, boring, tedious and it feels like you’re trapped in a nursing home with a bunch of old farts grousing about not getting enough crackers for their soup.

@126, if I see a blog post that excites me, I mention it. If it upsets me, I mention why. There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind, even if it’s something negative. I’m not have a bad day personally, but I kind of am as a Vita owner, because they seem to be ignoring the platform (especially with statements like “It’s a good day to be a Playstation gamer”. Really?). And there is a difference between letting the company blog know why I am upset with their product and “raging”. I tell them why I’m upset because the Vita is an amazing product and have enormous potential.

(continued) In regards to Resistance, I don’t know. The reviews have been generally positive, but then, previews in general are positive. From the video walkthroughs I’ve seen in the last copule of weeks, I saw audio glitches, framerate drops, and odd things happening (like going into a burning building at the beginning of the game as a firefighter for a routine fire, and for some reason carrying a Bullseye). I would actually love to end up having the game be great. The point I was making is that they are assigning one of the most well-known IPs to a developer who does not have a good track record whatsoever, when Sony has a bigger arsenal of fantastic devs than any of the big three. It doesn’t make sense.

@120, I don’t know the details (is a code provided in the box or should a code be e-mailed to you?), but on the first page here it was stated that the Starhawk team is working on a fix.

@127, if you enjoy fighters, Mortal Kombat was released last week & scored some high reviews. Also, Zen should be releasing their Pinball suite for Vita this month. Vita is a new platform, so I would guess ipad/3ds devs have a headstart in content & know more about the system that games/apps are easier to develop for. Does that make sense?

The Gamestop pre-order goodies are in the game case. There is one code for all the extra stuff except the 1 month PS+ trial. The trial is on your receipt. I noticed the guy earlier in the post was kinda throwing a fit about it and just shows some people just need to look at and read stuff that they purchase. It even says it on the back of the case.

Morgan also one question. Can I add the 1 month PS+ to my existing membership or is that just for people without Plus. I assume it’s only for newcomers but just had to ask. Thanks.

@133, I understand but frankly, the 3DS had the same issue at launch w/ content (that Mario creator spoke on exactly this point). It’s not surprising that Sony MUST be doing everything they can… why else slight your customers? This is why consumers need to learn how games/apps are made & licensed to a new platform or else they’ll continue believing that Sony, or any content provider, just magically produces what we want to play/use.

Everybody just needs to calm down; as a gamer, we never had it this good in the past.

@137, 3DS had it worse, actually, which is why I waited almost a year to buy it, and I bought the Vita on day one. But I’m a bit of a Playstation fanboy, which is why I’m passionate about it. And seeing three awesome PS3 titles announced (that would also be awesome on Vita) while we haven’t heard of any major Vita game announcements in months makes me upset as a Vita owner. I don’t want it to be ignored like the PSP was. It’s too early to say of course, but signs like signing Nihilistic to do Resistance don’t bode well. They did the same thing with a lot of Playstation IPs on the PSP too.

@140, agreed. That was a wise move in which you waited for a greater range of content to be availble. It’s tough to dispute when we lined up on a launch day/week for a new system & really desire new & exciting content to be ready. I hope Sony’s E3 will be a cool presentation for both of us! ;D